"There are so many great games out there that you don't hear about," explained Robert Khoo of Penny Arcade. "They're too niche or too risky in terms of game play for the top publishers to be comfortable with distributing. We want the Greenhouse to be an alternative for these developers."

This isn't shocking news; this year's PAX is already hosting the PAX 10, a collection of independent games that will be shown at PAX and voted on by the judges and gamers at the show. Now it looks like there will be a place for Penny Arcade and Hothead to sell these games as well.

Greenhouse Interactive offices are open in Vancouver, and the first game will be—wait for it—Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness. No other titles have been announced, but gamers are encouraged to visit the site, take the survey, and test the downloader.

"Digital distribution opens so many doors for independent game development, arguably just like the VCR and DVD players did for indie films," said Vlad Ceraldi of Hothead Games. "We believe in the Greenhouse as an opportunity to support other indie developers and complement the platforms and services currently out there, ensuring that the environment for such development firmly takes root and continues to grow."

The newfound focus on independent games is welcome, and should help give the industry an injection of new ideas. Penny Arcade also certainly has the fan-base and the love of games necessary for a project like this; the name itself acts as a stamp of approval whenever Gabe or Tycho lavish praise on a title. This is a company to keep your eyes on.